Aussies warned over holiday hotspot's tough new drug laws

Thailand is cracking down connected cannabis users, prompting a caller informing for Australian travellers.

Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin signed an bid earlier this week that bans shops from trading cannabis to customers without a prescription.

It besides seeks to reclassify cannabis buds arsenic a controlled herb.

The bid did not item immoderate reward for nan violation.

It will return effect erstwhile it is published successful nan Royal Gazette, though it was unclear erstwhile that would happen.

In nan meantime, Smartraveller updated its informing for Australians looking to sojourn nan celebrated vacation hotspot.

"The usage of cannabis is constricted to medicinal purposes only," nan existent informing announcement reads.

"The contented of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) must beryllium beneath 0.2 per cent successful weight and you must person a prescription."

Overall, Smartraveller urges visitors to workout a "high grade of caution", besides citing nan risks of panic attacks, governmental unrest, and portion spiking.

Thailand antecedently became nan first Asian state to decriminalise cannabis successful 2022.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party antecedently promised to criminalise nan supplier again, but faced beardown guidance from its erstwhile partner successful nan conjugation government, nan Bhumjaithai Party, which supported nan decriminalisation.

Bhumjaithai discontinue nan conjugation past week complete a leaked telephone telephone betwixt Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and erstwhile Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

Somsak told reporters connected Tuesday that he would for illustration to relist cannabis arsenic a narcotic successful nan future.

The move came aft officials past period revealed that cannabis smuggling cases involving visitors had soared successful caller months.

- Reported pinch Associated Press.

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